Be Willing to Be Wrong

The amount of mental energy we expend by trying to be right all the time is a waste.

I have come to learn that it’s a lot easier to be wrong from time to time, and that the process of being wrong can certainly speed up the finding of what it is that ends up being right. In my case, this is pretty much hard coded into how I do things. I almost have to be wrong first before I find out what’s right. Almost always do I have to walk down the wrong path, do the thing everyone told me would be a waste. I’m pretty much set into a system of “do this, figure out it’s wrong, and then do the right thing.”

Only my “right” is usually something that few people will see as right, unless it’s something obvious. Or my right will be counterintuitive to other people’s right. Or I’ll be wrong still, but for a different set of reasons that will ultimately make me right.

Wow, this doesn’t make much sense yet.

Be Willing to Be Wrong

We learn best by doing. Talking about something or theorizing or reading up on best practices has the least value when compared with actually doing something. But if you do something before you learn much about it, you might (will) get something wrong.

I’ve been blogging since 1998. I’ve been wrong for years and years. I’m sometimes right. I’ve been wrong for the last little while. I’m wrong about why social networks are (could be) cool. I’m wrong about how I thought marketers would rather a genuine connection instead of a push-button relationship. I’m wrong about tons of things.

But, the reprise of this story (if you’re keeping track) is that by being wrong, I’m going to be right sooner than others.

But what about you?

What’s YOUR Stance on Being Wrong?

I ask because I’m genuinely curious. What does it mean to you to be wrong? What happens when you try something and it doesn’t work? What’s your willingness to try new things that you don’t understand?

And how do you learn from it all?

Chris Brogan

CEO of Owner Media Group

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